Why Sleep is a Necessity
by Whispers of Writing
Summary: When they said that sleep is a necessity, not a luxury, they were right. AxH.


Artemis had a tendency to obsess when he started a project. Once an idea took root in his mind, once a plan was laid out, once he had a goal, Artemis's entire focus settled onto that. If there was no one there to force him otherwise, he could, and most likely would, burn himself out working nonstop. Usually Butler convinced him to take a break long before he came anywhere near that point. However, over the last few months, Mother had decided to enforce what Juliet dubbed the 'Teenage Clause'. According to the clause, Artemis was allowed to retreat into the privacy of his room for a certain amount of time before an adult was allowed to intervene. It was really just a last ditch effort on her part to get Artemis to act more his age.

However, this meant that, without Butler to stop him, he'd had worked on this particular project for twenty hours straight with barely any bathroom breaks and only a handful of hours of sleep over the last several days. He'd downed more cups of tea than was probably healthy and consumed more sugar than he really cared to think about. He'd just started on another cup when Holy decided to drop by.

"I'm busy." He replied, not bothering to look up from his laptop. He did however make an effort to stop tapping out Moonlight Sonata on the edge of his desk with a pencil. He succeeded. For about twelve seconds.

"I figured that out when I saw your little fortress of books." Holly remarked. Artemis didn't need to see her to know that she was looking with distaste at the mess that had accumulated in his room over the last few days. It was amazing what just a few days of refusing to let anyone, including the maids, near any of his research did to that state of his room.

"What are you working on?" Holly continued, coming up behind him. "Think you can take a break? Foaly wanted be to ask-"

"I'm busy." he interrupted, staring intently at the file on the screen. "Busy, busy busy."

"What?" She stopped just behind him, but he still didn't bother to look up and acknowledge her.

"Busy as a bee, come back later."

Holly made an odd noise, a cross between bewilderment and amusement. But she stopped talking thankfully. Artemis put all his focus on his project, and to tapping out the theme song to Bill Nye the Science Guy, Myles's favorite show which he insisted that everyone in the house watch and love as well. Everything was fine. Then Holly picked up an empty tea cup.

"How many of there did you drink?"

Artemis grunted noncommittally in reply. He didn't need to answer. All the cups of tea that he had consumed over the last day or so were still in his room. Plus, maybe she'd leave him alone if he ignored her.

"Are you hyper, Artemis?"

Artemis's shoulder twitched involuntarily. "No. Don't be absurd."

"Oh my Frond, you are." The laughter could clearly be heard in her voice. "You're on a sugar rush!"

"I am not!" Artemis protested, unconsciously channeling the twins. Then he paused before declaring, "I'll prove it."

He took a sip of the tea he had poured for himself earlier, frowned at it, and then downed the whole cup in one gulp. "I shouldn't have put sugar in this," he remarked as the sweet liquid settled in his stomach and the caffeine rushed to his head. "Why did I put sugar in this? Do you think Butler knows why I put sugar my tea?"

"Maybe you should go and, uh, ask him?" Holly suggested fighting back laughter.

"Right!" Artemis said, suddenly overcome with the desire to move. He stood up abruptly and moved right into her personal space, startling her back a step. "I shall go right now."

He shoved his laptop into the startled fairy's arms.

"Hold this," he ordered her. "And guard it with your life."

Then he grabbed her by the shoulders, pressed his lips against hers, and turned around heading to the door. Where he froze as his sleep-deprived mind caught up with his sugar-and-caffeine-powered body.

When they said that sleep is a necessity, not a luxury, they were right.


End file.
